Hybrid circuits, integrated circuit chips, printed circuit boards and like devices, which will be referred to as circuits, often have discrete circuit components mounted on and extending above a major planar surface. Conductor traces disposed internally of the device or on its surface interconnect the components and provide access for connection to external circuit conductor leads. In various uses of such devices, a surface on which the components are mounted presents the most readily accessible area for joining external conductors. One example is in automotive engine connector devices wherein a control circuit or hybrid circuit is mounted on a heat sink plate. In the past, wire leads were soldered or welded to contact lugs provided on the front face of the control device, between upstanding circuit components, and to external connector leads in the connector device.
The soldered or welded connection techniques are tedious and expensive. For example, the soldered or welded connections are prone to failure during the manufacturing of the device and during the use of the device by the customer. These failures result in higher manufacturing costs due to rejects and in higher costs due to warranty claims and customer dissatisfaction. The failure or the reduction in the integrity of the soldered or welded connections can occur due to vibration, shock, thermal stress and mechanical stress. Furthermore, the manufacture and assembly of the devices, including the soldering or welding operation, is time consuming and expensive in comparison to the present invention.
In addition, the upstanding components on the exposed surfaces of such devices present impediments to application of alternative simplified connective techniques, e.g. such as are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,988,306, 4,992,053, 5,013,249 5,127,837.
It is an object of this invention to provide improved connector devices and connectors for effecting electrical connections with chips, circuits and boards bearing upstanding components as referred to above.
It is a further object of this invention to provide such connector devices and connectors by which such connections can be effected easily and inexpensively.